as in homage
a show of respect or acknowledgement of the authority or importance of another
They made obeisance before the king and queen. She earned herself some political enemies when she failed to make the proper obeisance to those in power.
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Recent Examples of obeisance
After a decade of seemingly supine obeisance, there is no obvious reason why the military leadership would suddenly rouse itself to oppose Xi.
—
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Visitors who fail to perform the requisite display of obeisance have faced consequences, as in the Feb. 28 blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam.
—Brendan Cole
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Visitors who fail to perform the requisite display of obeisance have faced consequences, as in the Feb. 28 blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam.
—Brendan Cole
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obeisance
Noun
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According to its website, Butcher & Singer is an homage to the glitz and class of 1940s Hollywood, reaching into the past, plucking the best and brightest aspects of a bygone era.—
Courtney Cherry,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Many of the spa’s signature ingredients and rituals are an homage to Mayan traditions, such as the Temazcal steam baths that have been used since the days of tribal Mexico to detox the body.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Keane loved Polinsky’s insistence on inclusiveness, respect for the governor down to the most obscure staffer, and zero tolerance for those disrespectful to rank-and-file workers.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
26 Jan. 2026
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More effective diplomacy, as demonstrated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron at the same forum, conveys the same message about resisting bullying through measured language that preserves dignity and institutional respect.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These ventures can be heroic, as when Tommie Smith and John Carlos valiantly raised their fists as a Black Power salute in Mexico City in 1968.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Charlie Puth performs during the Grammy Awards salute to the Beach Boys, on April 9, 2023, on the CBS Television Network.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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What started as a cute nod to the city’s name has grown into an extravagant, on-brand season of celebrating this little holiday.—
Mindy Sink,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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The spot, directed by I, Tonya filmmaker Craig Gillespie, is a cheeky nod to Brody’s reputation for gravitating toward dramatic, taxing roles.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ugg Women's Mini Bailey Bow II Boot There’s a sweet surprise on the back of this Ugg Mini Boot—a satin bow that adds a playful element to one of Ugg’s core styles.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
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Motifs inspired by seasonal lingerie—lace, bows, hearts, lips, and all—make your feelings for the holiday, and your possible intentions for the evening, just clear enough.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Cave of Munits is an easy place to reconnect with your childlike wonder, but please explore with respect and reverence for the place.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Two librarians speak of their time at the 135th Street Library in Harlem, with an inspiring reverence for the space and their position within it.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
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In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obeisance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obeisance. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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